Helvella liquii Q. Zhao, 2023

Bao, Shu-Xin, Li, Ying, Zhou, De-Qun, Thongklang, Naritsada, Yu, Feng-Ming & Zhao, Qi, 2023, Two new species of the fallax-pezizoides complex in Helvella (Helvellaceae, Pezizales) from Yunnan, China, Phytotaxa 626 (4), pp. 279-289 : 283-284

Helvella liquii Q. Zhao sp. nov. ( Fig. 3 )

Index Fungorum number: IF 552242, Facesoffungi number: FOF 14751

Etymology: liquii is named after Li Qui (Li Kui), a historic Chinese hero.

Type: China, Yunnan Province, Bingchuan County, on the ground, under a forest dominated by Castanopsis , alt. 1800 m, 13 September 2015, Q. Zhao 2689 ( HKAS 90563 , holotype).

Diagnosis: Similar to Helvella pseudoatra but differs in their stipe color. H. liquii is dark brown to blackish stipe, H. pseudoatra is white to brownish.

Pileus saddle-shaped, 1–2.5 cm high, 1–2.5 cm broad, margin merged each other in several places and fused with stipe, hymenium even to slightly rugose, dark brown, grey black to black, receptacle surface glabrous to slightly rugose, coffee blackish when fresh, becoming black when dried. Stipe 3–6 cm long, 0.2–0.5 cm broad, terete, pubescent, yellowish brown, dark brown to blackish when fresh, dark yellowish to black when dried.

Medullary excipulum 100–230 µm broad, of textura intricata, hyaline, composed of 3–4 µm broad hyphae, walls thickened, J-. Ectal excipulum 40–80 µm broad, of textura angularis, hyaline, terminal cells 15–34 × 7–13 μm, blue in cotton blue, J +. Stipitipellis 160–290 µm, of textura angularis, hyaline, terminal cells 18–32 × 10–18 μm, blue in cotton blue, J-. Asci arising from croziers, 8-spored, subcylindrical to clavate, with apex rounded, 200–240 × 15–19 µm, J- in Melzer’s reagent, blue in cotton blue. Paraphyses filiform, 3–4 µm broad, slightly exceeding the asci, apex enlarged, 5–9 µm broad, brown, blue in cotton blue, J-. Ascospores [80/2/2, in H 2 O] (15.5–)16–20 (–20.5) × (11.5–)12–14 μm [Q = 1.28–1.56, Q = 1.22 ± 0.03)], broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, smooth-walled under the light microscope.

Habitat and known distribution: Scattered or gregarious on the ground, associated with Castanopsis .

Other material examined: China, Yunnan Province, Puer County, on the ground, under a Castanopsis forest, alt. 1700 m, 6 July, 2012, X.H. Wang 3510 (HKAS 90625).

Notes: Helvella liquii shares similar morphology with H. bresadolae , H. fallax , H. pezizoides and H. pseudoatra by their blackish hymenium and terete stipe. However, H. bresadolae ( Skrede et al. 2023) has a comparatively shorter stipe (1.5–3.5 cm). Helvella fallax is differentiated by its narrower ascospores 17–19 × 9.8–11 μm (vs. 16–20 × 12–14 μm in H. liquii ) and grey to greyish brown stipe ( Dissing 1966, as H. atra ). Helvella pezizoides can be distinguished by its thicker ectal excipulum of 175–235 µm (vs. 40–80 µm in H. liquii ) ( Dissing 1966). Helvella liquii has a wider paraphyses apex of 5–9 µm (vs. 4–5 µm in H. pseudoatra ), and its stipe is darker than that of H. pseudoatra .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Helvella liquii (HKAS 90563, holotype).A−B. Typical mature specimens. C. Receptacle surface of pileus. D. Stipitipellis. E. Asci and paraphyses. F−I. Asci. J. Ascospores. Scale bars: A−B = 1 cm. C−D = 50 μm. E−J = 20 μm.